As semiconductor devices are scaled down to increase packing density, distances between adjacent components are becoming increasingly smaller. Sub-micron geometries are possible with currently available technologies. In some high-density memory devices, distances between adjacent word lines are required to be 0.4 micron or less to produce a sufficiently dense cell. At these geometries, problems arise when attempting to define contact openings to active areas between these adjacent, tightly spaced word lines. Present photolithographic alignment and metallization techniques are only possible to 0.35 micron features, with a misalignment error of .+-.0.15 micron. Without the use of self-aligned active area contacts, the minimum word line spacing would be approximately greater than 0.85 micron which is equal to the minimum photolithographic feature of 0.35 micron, plus twice the misalignment tolerance of 0.15 micron, plus twice the processing margin of 0.10 micron (or, 0.35 micron+2.times.0.15 micron+2.times.0.10 micron=0.85 micron). Present processing techniques are therefore incapable of producing narrow and properly aligned contact openings to active areas for geometries of 0.4 micron or less.
This invention provides a processing method for making contacts to active areas between semiconductor word line (conductive runners) having sub-micron geometries.